A food company has been fined £2,500 and ordered to pay costs of £1,500 after polluting the River Leam with cream.

Elisabeth the Chef, which has its head office in Beaconsfield Street West, Leamington, pleaded guilty at Stratford

Magistrates Court last Friday to a charge of polluting the Leam with cream.

Later, Graham Folkes-Skinner of the Environment Agency, which brought the charge, said: "Businesses which handle organic substances such as milk and cream must be aware of the polluting nature of such materials.

"The cream which drained to the river on this occasion had the organic strength of raw sewage. It is crucial companies handling such materials have robust pollution prevention measures in place."

The incident happened in September 2002, when part of the river through the town, turned completely white.

Dairy produce such as milk or cream is one of the most dangerous pollutants for rivers and lakes as it wipes out organisms and water-borne life.

For the agency, Sheila Lodhi told the court a 5,000-litre container of cream had punctured when being offloaded at premises in St Mary's Road, Sydenham, Leamington.

Some cream had got into the surface water sewer, which drains into the Leam, close to where it runs through the town centre.

A representative for Elisabeth the Chef told the court the company had no previous convictions for environmental offences and had co-operated fully with the Environment Agency.